Hate to Love
by salongale
Summary: AU: Young doctor, Owen Hunt's life is turned upside down when Saul Yang enters the doors of the hospital. Little did he know that this case would have a big impact on his life...
1. Meeting

Ask a surgeon why they became a surgeon. Everyone is bound to say the exact same thing. It's the thrill of the cut; the way the world stops when the scalpel is placed in their hands. The authority they obtain in the operating theatre as if they were half as powerful as God. Being the hero, but most of all, having the ability to save a life. A perfect stranger's life.

Owen Hunt was always the best. With a string of A's at high school, he had successfully made it into one of the country's top medical school – Harvard. Ever since his youth, he knew that medicine was the right career path for him. Owen had never failed anything before. He was almost perfect in everything he did. However, this all changed the moment he stepped foot in Westpoint Hospital.

Trauma cases piled in one after the other, constant with people in need of immediate medical attention.

"Severed leg caught in a motorbike accident," the nurse told the young doctor whilst pulling in a middle aged man on a gurney. Blood soaked through his blue denim jeans staining the pristine white floors. Sensing that something was wrong due to the man's harsh breath sounds, Owen said to the patient, "Hello, I'm Dr. Hunt, will you please take off your jacket so I could do a quick examination?"

"Yes sir," the man managed to breathe out, "Will you contact my daughter, she's all I got and I feel as if this is serious."

"Sure thing, I will get one of my nurses to get in touch with your daughter. For now don't worry and just relax as you're in safe hands," replied Owen while moving on to examine his chest. Blood was seeping through the man's shirt. 'How could a paramedic have overlooked this and how is it possible that this man is still fully conscious?" the doctor thought to himself. "Nurse, we need to get this man to an OR now!"


	2. Saul Yang

What started out as what would have been a simple suturing job now became a major cardiothoracic procedure. The patient, Saul Yang, had punctured his chest right next to heart. The bleeding would not cease, forcing Saul to finally lose consciousness and within a couple of seconds, more doctors were paged and an operating theatre was booked. This was the first real emergency case that Owen Hunt was given the opportunity to perform solo.

Saul Yang was a happily married man up until the moment his wife, Helen, had given birth to a beautiful curly-haired girl whom they both agreed they would name Cristina. His wife had died from childbirth, even though relatively uncommon, that dark fate just seemed to have it's way. Now, fate seemed to be playing another trick on Saul. Here he was, lying on an operating table passing the responsibility of his precious life to a complete stranger. The thought of leaving Cristina alone in the world was unbearable. Even though, she was in her early twenties, too much pain has been inflicted on her. The loss of one parent is bad enough; the thought of losing two was just too much.

Before the accident, Saul was making his usual routine journey to work oblivious to what fate had in store for him in the very near future. Stepping off the pavement and onto the road, there was no time for him to react. A motorbike had smashed straight into him forcing him to plummet onto the solid ground. There was no time for Saul to soak in what had just happened, he was already being transported to the hospital in ambulance.

"Did you call my daughter?" Saul asked.

"Yes sir, she is on her way right now, we have to put you under so we can fix the damage to your chest," Owen assured him. Underneath the calm exterior that Owen had put on for his patient, his own heart was beating hard; this surgery was too risky for a resident and the only practice which he had was not on another patient but on a surgical dummy.

"Doc, if I don't make it, tell her I love her and that one day she will find 'her person' that will cherish her as much as I have done her whole life." Saul's face had now paled even more; the colour slowly draining from his face as Owen lifted up the mask ready to put him under anaesthesia.

"You can tell her that yourself once the surgery has finished," Owen replied, emotionally shaken at the fact that this was someone's 'person' whose life had been placed in his hands. "Let's get started ," he told the anaesthetist who nodded obligingly and sedated Saul with the drug. His eyes slowly gave in and shut just like the way it would have done if he were going to sleep.

"Scalpel," Owen asked the scrub nurse. He took a deep breath before making that vital first cut.


	3. Surgery

The surgery was going well; Owen had found the source of the bleeding and had forced it to stop with his precise stitches. The other doctors looking in on the surgery from the gallery were impressed at how quickly he had calmed the bleeding. Everything seemed to be working in Owen's favour until the monitor showed that Saul's blood pressure was decreasing rapidly.

"BP's dropping," the nurse told Owen. Saul Yang was giving up. There was too much internal bleeding going on inside his chest, causing Owen to panic.

"Where is all this blood coming from? Give him a dose of Atropine," demanded Owen, searching quickly for the cause of the bleeding. "Found it!" he said aloud but despite this, Saul's heartbeat was getting slower and slower until it suddenly came to a halt. The dreaded white line and the sound of one long beep appeared on the monitor. The patient's heart had stopped beating.

"No! Don't give up now!" pleaded Owen. The nurse promptly handed the shaking doctor the defibrillator. "Charge to 300, CLEAR!" ordered Owen. Nothing happened. "Come on Saul, charge to 360, CLEAR!" Again, there was still no sign of a pulse. Owen's head fell down in guilt. This was a surgeon's worst nightmare come true. A well done surgery completely evolving itself to become a disaster. All hope was drained out of him.

The other doctors in the gallery now began to file out of the room. This surgery was over. All the attendings looked on at the young doctor, sympathising with him as the first loss is always the worst.

"You have to call it Dr. Hunt," Dr. Webber, the Chief of Surgery, told him as he walked into the operating theatre.

Owen did not look up to meet the Chief's eyes but instead looked at Saul and then longingly at the monitor before dejectedly saying, "Time of death 8:11pm."

* * *

**Author's Note: This is my first story and I am hoping you are all enjoying it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Please give feedback as it helps to motivate me to write more. Constructive feedback is welcome as it will make me a better writer.**


	4. Cristina Yang

Cristina Yang was a fresh college graduate from Yale University. She was in the middle of an interview with Arrowhill Hospital for a possible chance of joining their internship programme. Cristina initially declined the phone call, apologising to the interviewers for the disruption. It was only until the caller kept trying to get in touch with her, did she allow herself to look at who was calling on her phone. It was a number she did not recognise.

"I guess you better take that Miss," said the interviewer.

"Yes, sorry. It was nice to have the opportunity anyway. Have a nice day," Cristina replied, annoyed that her shot with this hospital was ruined as she made her way out of the room. Her phone rang again. This time Cristina answered, "Hello? Cristina Yang speaking."

"Hello Miss, I am a nurse at Westpoint Hospital and you are the daughter of Mr. Saul Yang, am I correct?" asked the nurse.

"Yes I am she, is there something the matter?" Cristina suddenly started feel uneasy. 'Why is Dad at the hospital?' she thought to herself. In that moment, she quickly realised that there was only one reason that a hospital nurse would be calling and that is to tell you that something terrible has happened.

"Oh God, what's happened? Is my Dad alright? Is he ok?" Cristina bombarded the nurse with questions hoping for some comfort in her answers.

"He's been in an accident. He was hit by a motorbike and is injured. Dr. Hunt is taking him to the OR now."

"Ok, tell him I am on my way," replied Cristina as tears slowly found themselves streaming down her face. She got out her car keys from her pocket and ran quickly to her car. The drive to the hospital was 20 minutes in total. Cristina silently prayed that she would make it in time to see her father.


	5. A terrible loss

Owen Hunt was drained. Physically and emotionally drained. The surgery had taken everything he had in him. He never knew his patient but something about the way Saul Yang had spoken about his daughter made him feel as though he had taken a piece of this woman's life. A lost life is a terrible loss. As he was scrubbing out of surgery, Owen pondered on how he was going to break the news to this woman who has just lost her father.

Cristina had been waiting in the waiting area outside the operating theatres for about half an hour. Not once did a doctor give her an update and she was overpowered with worrying thoughts about her father. She could not bear to lose a parent. Not another one. Her father was her 'person'; he was her rock, her diamond in the rough. Without him she would be alone and she did not want that.

The operating room doors opened and slowly, Owen made his way to the waiting area in search for Saul Yang's daughter. He turned the corner to face the waiting area and that is when he saw her. She had her face in her hands, looking absolutely broken. Owen's own heart broke as he saw the young woman alone with no one to comfort her. 'This is going to be difficult,' Owen thought to himself as he approached her.

Cristina was too absorbed in her thoughts that she did not realise that a person had taken a place beside her.

Owen cleared his throat before saying, "Miss. Yang?" The woman looked up. Owen could not believe his eyes. She was beautiful. Her eyes were reddened but that didn't deter him from admiring her face, her clear complexion, her eyes and most of all the long curls that were her hair. Owen cleared these thoughts as he started, "Hello. I am the surgeon who operated on your father. We did everything we could but there was too much…." Owen was cut off by the woman who just broke down in front of him.

"No, this can't be happening. It can't be happening again," Cristina sobbed to herself. Owen put a hand on her shoulder trying to soothe her but the loss was too fresh and the tears just kept falling from her eyes. Owen could not help himself as he pulled her in close, wrapping his arms around her in an embrace.

"I am so sorry for your loss, please understand that we did everything we could," Owen said to Cristina as he held onto her tightly. Her breathing suddenly calmed down and her tears stopped. She looked up at the man in whose arms she was in. He was a good looking man who seemed like a kind hearted person but he was also the man that she deemed responsible for her father's death. She pulled away from his embrace and stood up.

"You could've tried harder," she said bluntly and with that she walked away. Owen looked at her receding figure; he found his own tears forming up from inside. It is usual for a patient's loved ones to place the blame on the doctor as they are overcome with grief. Owen usually knew how to cast these feelings aside but for some reason, this woman's words hurt him to the core. He had failed.


	6. Life after death

The days following the passing away of a loved one is always tough. Arrangements have to be made for the funeral as well as having to cope without the physical presence of that person. Cristina was barely coping. Ever since being told the news at the hospital, she has kept everything to herself. Many of her friends, however much she loved them all, came to console her but to no avail. She just could not function without her 'person'.

It was the day before Saul Yang's funeral when Cristina got an unexpected phone call. She was fixing up last minute arrangements when her phone rang.

"Hello?" answered Cristina.

"Hello, Miss. Yang," replied a voice that Cristina remembered. It was the doctor from the hospital; the same doctor who operated on her father and the same doctor who she put all the blame on, "this is Dr. Hunt." Guilt suddenly crept up to Cristina and she knew that he really was not at fault. As a medical graduate herself, she knew that he was just doing his job at the time and that her words were too harsh. She wondered why he was calling her.

"Yes, hello Dr. Hunt, is there something the matter? And, how did you get my cell number by the way?" Cristina asked the doctor.

"Erm, your number was on your father's file, I umm just wanted to check up on how you are doing. I mean, you did seem really upset when you left the hospital."

"Well of course I'd be upset, my only family had just died. I am all alone, he was all I had left," Cristina replied with a hint of annoyance in her voice. 'So sensitive' she thought to herself, 'what kind of person makes a remark like that?'

"No, no I didn't mean it like that, sorry. It's just your father's case has been replaying itself in my mind and do you remember what you said to me that day? That I could've tried harder? You see, the thing is, I did try…" Cristina listened intently, feeling ashamed at herself for being so harsh that day.

"I know you did, you were just doing your job. I get that." Cristina heard what sounded like a sigh of relief from the other end of the phone. She continued, "I just want to apologise for that, I was too consumed in my grief that I took it out on you, so I am sorry."

"Apology accepted, I am just so glad that I called you to talk about this," replied the doctor. Through the phone, Cristina heard his pager go. "Well, I have to go, more patients to see. Take care now."

"Ok, bye," Cristina said. She sat back on her couch and replayed the contents of her conversation with Dr. Hunt. This was a form of closure that she desperately needed.

* * *

It had been 6 months since Saul Yang had passed away. In those months, Dr. Hunt attended to his work more studiously than ever. He did not want the same thing to occur again. He often thought about Miss. Yang and at how beautiful she was. If it weren't for the obvious circumstances, he would've asked her to go out. Maybe even start a proper relationship if she allowed it. He wondered if he was ever going to see her again. Owen's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps passing the on-call room in which he was in.

"…when I move, you move, get it?" he heard Dr. Bailey telling, what seemed to be like, her new batch of interns. Owen shook his head and let out a small laugh. He had listened to this little speech of hers every year. He glanced at the clock above the door, it was 2pm. In half an hour, he would be finding out who his own interns were. Owen got up and headed to the nurses station to get a head start on all the paper work he had to fill out.

"I'm excited, I mean we are actually doctors now," said Steph while putting on her lab coat.

"Don't get too excited. Our job is going to be hard work. Being a doctor is hard work," Cristina replied making her way to her locker beside Steph. Cristina and Steph had been friends since they met at Yale and now they were both starting their path to becoming doctors together. Initially, Cristina was to go to Arrowhill Hospital but circumstances changed forcing her to apply for the internship programme at Westpoint instead.

"Do you know who our resident is?" Cristina asked looking round at the 3 other interns in the room.

"I think his name is Dr. Hunt."

"Oh," Cristina let out a small gasp. She knew that Dr. Hunt worked here but she hadn't expected to be working right under him. 'He probably won't remember me,' Cristina thought to herself, 'Doctors see people come and go all the time.' She followed her fellow interns to the nurses station which they were told they were to go to, to meet their resident. As they turned the corner, she caught a glimpse of him. He had his back to them and seemed to be deep in conversation with the nurse.

Cristina admired his tall, muscular profile and chastised herself for it. She had remembered how she thought of him as good looking when they first met but now that her grief about her father's death had settled, she couldn't help but find herself physically attracted to him. 'Cristina, get your head together, he's way out of your league and plus, he's your boss now,' she told herself. It was at that point that Dr. Hunt turned around and looked at them.

* * *

**Author's Note: So, I have had some free periods in school today where I was able to write a longer chapter. Hoping that you all like it. Reviews would be great to let me know what you all think of my story so far.**


	7. First Day

'No, it can't be,' Owen thought to himself as he eyed his group of interns. He turned back to give the nurse at the station the file in which he was currently checking out. As he faced his interns again, he saw her. It was Miss. Yang; the same woman that has occupied his thoughts in the last six months. 'Stop it Owen, she's your intern now," he told himself. He smiled at them warmly and said, "Hello, I am Dr. Hunt, your resident. I would just like to welcome you all to Westpoint Hospital." Owen took a quick glance at Miss. yang but she avoided his gaze and seemed to be preoccupied in looking at her surroundings. "Just a few points before you start. Being a doctor is hard. As with any job, you are given huge responsibility and in the medical field, that responsibility is a life. If you mess up however, that is alright too as long as you know that you tried your best. Mistakes are how we learn. So, be at the top of your game," he told his interns.

They all looked up at Dr. Hunt in awe. He was what they expected a resident to be. Calm, collected and focused. Cristina noticed his analogy on mistakes. It brought her back to the time she was at the hospital being told the news about her father. She had vowed to become the best doctor that she could be as the pain of losing someone is terrible and she did not want to inflict the same pain towards anyone else.

Dr. Hunt's voice stopped her trail of thoughts as he started again ,"A woman has come in with a daughter who keeps seizing. We have ran tests but they have all came back normal. However, I am certain that there is a reason. So, your first task as a doctor, is to help me come up with that reason."

"Could we have her chart to look at to start?" Steph asked her resident.

"Sure, I have got you all copies of her chart," Owen replied giving them each the file. As he passed Miss. Yang her chart, their hands touched for the briefest moment. Both looked up at each other at the touch and smiled. "But before we start can you all tell me your names? I do have a list but I can't put names to faces yet."

"I am Steph Dawley,"

"Avery. Jackson Avery."

"Harry Thomson."

"Gina Poole"

"And last but not least, you are?" Owen asked the final intern.

"Cristina. Cristina Yang," she replied politely.

"Well ok then, get started!" he told his interns, "Oh and by the way, the person who comes up with the answer gets to scrub in with me in her surgery."

Each intern's eyes glinted with desire. This is what they were waiting for, a chance to cut. A chance to do a surgery.

* * *

"Urgh, I've been in this library for hours now and I seem to be getting nowhere," Cristina complained to Jackson who was also frustrated at not being able to know something for once. Jackson Avery was handsome young man. He had those green eyes that could make a woman blush profusely in an instant. However, he found that this woman had not seen him in that light yet.

"Yeah, shall we take a break?" he asked, slumping down on the floor, his back resting on the bookcase.

"Ok," Cristina sighed and joined him on the floor.

"So, what made you want to become a doctor Cristina?"

"My dad. He was always pushing me to do a job that would help society in any way. His was good like that you know…" her voice trailed off. If she continued, tears would find themselves building up again. Jackson caught onto her tone and understood immediately.

"Ah right, he sounds like a great man, I know you will be great Cristina," Jackson told her. Cristina smiled. It was nice to have found another great friend.

"You're too kind Jackson," she told him. Blushing, Jackson decided that now was the time to do it. He was going to ask her out.

"Erm Cristina?" Jackson started. Cristina looked up at him expectantly. "I was just wondering, maybe after our shift today, would you like to go get a drink at the bar over the road?"

"Yeah sure, I'd love to," replied Cristina.

Owen was stood on the other side of the bookshelf and had heard their conversation. He left the library abruptly, straight after he heard Cristina agree to drinks. He was angry as he wanted to be the one in Jackson's position. 'Maybe it won't be so hard to remain professional now, she's taken,' Owen thought to himself.

"Just as friends though right?" Cristina clarified, finishing off her sentence. It was just as well that Jackson had already stood up so that Cristina did not see the look of hurt on his face. He had just been friend-zoned.

"Yeah, of course."

Owen headed out of the library with a heavy heart. He felt drawn to Cristina and there was no denying it. Ever since he had met her, he was smitten and now the woman he likes is being asked out by another man. 'And if that's not bad enough, I can't do anything about it, she's my intern, I will have to see her every single day,' he thought to himself. Little did he know that Cristina only wants to be Jackson's friend.

* * *

**Author's Note: Hoping you are still interested in this. Please review as it helps give me direction for this story. **


	8. Finding the answer

After a few more hours spent researching medical theories in the library, Cristina realised that the answer to the cause of the young girl's seizures was not to be found in books. She left Jackson in the library and headed out to the nurses station. 'Why did I not think of this before? Nurses know their patients inside out," she thought to herself.

"Hello, I was just wondering about Emily Catahan's case, do you mind giving me some background information, it'd really help," Cristina told the nurse.

"Sure, so I am guessing you already know the medical stuff, well I hope you do considering it's on the chart… Emily is 17 years old, came in with a broken leg after a football injury but every now and then she just unexpectedly seizes," the nurse replied. Cristina pondered over the information for a minute until she realized something.

"Did the other doctors perform a head CT scan?"

"No, she came in with a broken leg not a head injury," the nurse answered, rolling her eyes.

"Yes I know that, but you said she broke her leg during a football game? Well, doesn't that mean that she took a fall somehow, she may have a head injury even though it is not physically obvious," Cristina answered and with that she left the nurse puzzled at the station to go find Dr. Hunt.

Owen was in the emergency room, stitching up a patients leg wound. He needed something to do to distract himself from the jealousy that was building up inside of him. The doors of the ER opened, and in came Cristina. She made her way towards him with a smile. He didn't smile back; Owen was too annoyed that she had agreed to Jackson's offer for a drink.

"Excuse me Dr. Hunt, I think I may have found the reason for Emily Catahan's seizures." Owen looked up at Cristina, his heart started beating fast. This woman always seemed to have this effect on him, every time she came near.

"Oh right ok, shoot"

"Well, I asked the nurse for background information on Emily…" Owen gave a little smile at this as it was unusual to find a doctor who was not too proud to ask for help, "And she told me that she initially came in with a broken leg? She also informed me that you have yet to perform a CT scan, so my theory is that she has an internal head injury triggering the seizures. However, this is only a theory as of yet," Cristina looked up at the doctor expectantly after finishing.

"You're right, I did a CT scan just about 10 minutes before you came here and she has internal bleeding in her left side. You are also the first intern to come to me with the correct answer so as promised, you are scrubbing in with me tomorrow," Owen said, giving her a warm smile. Cristina could not help but smile back.

"Thanks, Dr. Hunt! I will see you tomorrow," Cristina said happily.

* * *

With their first official shift over, Cristina and Jackson headed to the bar across the road. It had been a long, tiring shift and a drink was needed by both parties.

"I'll go get drinks, you can get us a table over there," Jackson told Cristina.

"Ok thanks."

As she sat down at the table, she noticed a familiar person on the table next to her. It was Dr. Hunt and he wasn't alone. He was with a brunette woman, who was beautiful. They both were laughing at something and seemed like having a good time. Cristina didn't know why but her heart sank a little as she watched them engaged in conversation. She had thought of her resident as good looking but was she developing feelings for him aswell.

Jackson came over, drinks in hand with a huge smile on his face. "A tequila for the beautiful lady," he told her as he gave her, her drink. At hearing the sound of Jackson's voice, Owen's ears automatically perked up. He was too immersed in conversation with Linda that he did not realise that Cristina and Jackson had chosen to sit at the table next to them. His smile disappeared but recovered quickly as he realised Linda was looking at him.

"Thanks Jackson, it feels so good to –" Cristina was cut off by Jackson's phone ringing. He looked at her apologetically and said, "Sorry Cristina, I have to take this, it's my mother." He got up and left Cristina alone at the table. Owen kept sneaking glances at Cristina and on one occasion, she was also looking at him. Both smiled at each other awkwardly before looking away.

Owen was just about to go up to get another round of drinks when Linda's pager went off. "It's the hospital, some bus crashed near Arrowhill, I have to go Owen, this has been lovely," she said, kissing him on the cheek as she left. He walked over to the bar to get himself another drink after she left.

Jackson made his way back to the table with a sombre look on his face. " I am really sorry to leave you Cristina but my mother has just arrived in town, I have to get her from the airport, I will see you tomorrow," he told her.

"Ok, that is fine Jackson, see you in the morning," Cristina said. After she watched Jackson leave, she made her way to the bar and sat down. "Another tequila please Tom," she told the bartender.

"Wait Tom, that's on me," Cristina heard Dr. Hunt say. She turned to face him, giving him a huge smile. He looked so much better when he wasn't in hospital scrubs. Owen had on jeans and a blue shirt which brought out his eyes.

"Thanks,"

"It's my pleasure," he said, "I see both our dates have ditched us tonight."

"Oh no Jackson isn't my date, he is just a friend," Cristina told him. Owen's eyes lit up at the news. So she wasn't seeing Avery he thought.

"That's good. Linda wasn't my date also, we're just good friends," he replied, giving her another smile. Both of them could not stop smiling at each other upon hearing the news that they were both single.

Their conversation flowed after that. It seemed that they had more than medicine as common ground. Owen also lost a parent growing up, they both enjoyed the same activities and had similar taste in music.

"You know, I know how to play the guitar," Owen told Cristina.

"Really? I've always wanted to try that, I can sing though so that compensates for my lack of talent in the instrument section." Owen laughed, it was so good to talk to someone so easily. No forced conversation, just pleasant chatter.

"It's getting late, we have work tomorrow, let me walk you home," Owen told Cristina.

"I agree, it is late. And sure I'd like that, thank you Dr. Hunt,"

"Owen,"

"What?" Cristina asked puzzled.

"My names Owen. I mean you can call me that instead, we can drop the formalities now seeing as we've shared a drink together.

"Well you can call me Cristina then," she said.

They both walked in companionable silence on the way to Cristina's apartment. It was when they were turning a corner that Cristina tripped over the sidewalk, Owen caught her and both burst into laughter.

"Woops, I think I may have had a bit too much to drink," Cristina said laughing. She realised that Owen had not taking his hand off her arm yet, she felt happy inside at this. The remainder of the journey to her apartment was done hand in hand. Owen had moved his hand from her arm and intertwined it with her own.

"Well this is me," Cristina said. Owen did not let go of her hand but did something that also surprised himself. He pulled her closer to him; both within close proximity to each other. Owen put a finger beneath her chin and tilted it up slightly before pressing his lips against hers. Cristina did not waste anytime to respond as she kissed him back. Their kisses were soft and gentle at first before deepening it, their tongues acquainting themselves with one another. When they eventually pulled away from each other, they were both breathless with huge smiles plastered across their faces.

"I like you Cristina, I really like you. I've liked you ever since we met that first time at the hospital,"

Cristina broke into a wide a grin, " I always had a feeling you did, the feeling is mutual"

"Say it, say the words,"

"Ok Owen, I like you too, a whole lot" And with that she initiated their second kiss.

* * *

**Author's Note: Finally found the time to write and to compensate for the late update, I have written a longer chapter for you all. Again, please leave reviews. They are a great incentive to carry on writing.**


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